The Gospel and the University of Texas Shooting

The University of Texas at Austin was shaken yesterday by the news of gunfire in the main campus library. The campus was locked down, a SWAT unit was called in, and national reporters were on the scene. 19-year-old Colton Tooley, wearing a ski mask and a suit and tie, unloaded several shots from his AK-47 but did not appear to want to shoot anyone and reportedly did not chase any of the dispersing students in the area. Though no students or faculty are reported to be injured, Tooley sadly took his own life on the sixth floor.

Obviously, the 1966 campus shooting comes to most minds immediately as well as the Virginia Tech shooting or even Columbine High School. Most school shooters get labeled as “former losers,” “nerds  who were bullied in school,” or their actions are blamed on violent video games or movies.  As of now, there is no motive being released by the Austin police. Perhaps he was mistreated or experienced trauma in his life that led to this. Regardless, he was obviously disturbed.

The Problem

Psychiatrists and the like will use textbooks and theories to analyze this situations and others like it, but the fundamental problem here is sin.

Satan is alive and well, folks. I am not totally discounting modern science, but Satan had surely gotten ahold of Tooley and convinced him that suicide was the answer to whatever it is that led him to the point of pulling the trigger. This fallen world brings about such an immense feeling of helplessness, even to the Christian sometimes, and there is no getting around it.

The Answer

Dr. Phil or the latest self-help book will not remedy the inescapable reality of sin. We live our lives day to day with the idea that problems can be fixed with advice, sheer will, or ignorance. If this were true, Jesus would not have needed to step into creation.

But He did.

News like this is just another reminder (as if we need one) that the Gospel is sorely needed and must be preached. There are not enough missionaries, there are not enough churches, there are not enough pastors, and there are not enough books. We need more. Christians, we need to fulfill the Great Commission with greater fervor. The lukewarm lives that the majority of self-proclaimed Christians live do not point people to Christ; if anything, they point away from Him.

It is my prayer, and I hope it is yours, that the pain and hurt that a kid like Tooley feels would be replaced with joy in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Only God can save people, but it is our duty to preach and live this glorious Gospel.